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Vihaan stands on his post alone. It’s a morning shift, but the sun is already fully risen over the wall. He can see the gate in the distance, two other guards stationed there.
“They at least have company,” he mumbles, before he yawns. He ended up going to bed late last night, despite Terrin’s advice. Maybe he’ll do better tonight. Maybe.
“Vihaan?”
He jumps at the sudden voice, turning around to find the owner.
“Who- oh! Hello, my lady.”
Lady Adette greets him when he turns. There’s a cape around her shoulders, joining her hair swaying gently in the wind.
“I hope I didn’t startle you,” she chuckles, and Vihaan straightens his back.
“Of course not, my lady,” he grins. “More is needed to startle me. What’s gotten you out of bed this early?”
“Early?” she laughs. “It’s already 11 o’clock.”
Vihaan shrugs.
“If you say so.” He takes a moment to look at her. “Uh, anything I can do for you?”
“There is, actually,” she says, and looks around. “Are you busy?”
“Well, I’m at work ,” he snickers. “So, no.”
Adette squints her eyes at him.
“I would like for you to come with me,” she says. “But that might not be possible right now.”
“I would love to abandon my post to come with you, my lady,” Vihaan grins. “But I don’t want to end up in any trouble with the sergeant. Unless, of course, orders from the lady can excuse me from my duties.”
Adette hums thoughtfully.
“I don’t believe they do, in this case,” she says. “I wouldn’t want to get in any trouble with the sergeant either.”
Vihaan huffs out a laugh.
“You can’t get in trouble,” he snickers. “You’re the biggest boss here.”
“No, Father is the biggest boss here,” she corrects. “And I absolutely can get in trouble with the sergeant if I pull you away from your post. You will have to come and visit me later when your shift is finished.”
“I’m, uh, not in any trouble, am I?” Vihaan asks carefully, and a smug smile grows on Adette’s face.
“You’ll just have to wait and see, then,” she hums.
“Wha-, no, hold on!” Vihaan yelps and Adette laughs.
“You’re not in trouble, Vihaan,” she reassures. “I just need some.. advice.”
He looks curiously at her, but she doesn’t elaborate.
“I’ll be in my office between lunch and dinner,” she continues. “Come whenever is convenient to you.”
She starts to walk back towards the gate, but stops and turns.
“And one last thing,” she says. “Don’t say anything to Terrin, alright?”
Vihaan tilts his head in confusion, but doesn’t ask any more questions.
“Yes, my lady.”
------
Later that day, Vihaan makes his way down the hall towards Adette’s office. Terrin and him ate lunch together earlier, Terrin hurrying to his own post before Vihaan had to come up with an excuse to leave. He feels an unease growing in him as he approaches the office, still not certain if Adette was joking earlier about him being in trouble or not. He stops outside her door and takes a deep breath, before he knocks.
“Yes?” he hears her answer from inside.
“It’s, uh, it’s Vihaan, my lady.”
He waits for a moment, before the door opens.
“Greetings, Vihaan,” Adette smiles. “Thank you for taking your time to visit. Please, come in.”
Vihaan walks inside and sits down when Adette gestures towards the couch. She walks over to her desk to file away the pile of reports placed on it.
“I better not actually be in trouble,” he laughs, in an effort to lift his nerves. “It’d be cruel to make me wait the whole day just for that.”
Adette chuckles.
“I promise you’re not in trouble. Neither with me or the sergeant.”
Vihaan relaxes his shoulders, and leans back into the couch.
“So, Terrin?” he asks. “If you’re going to ask me about what to buy for his birthday or something, I don’t think I’m the right person. I’m not great with gifts.”
“That’s not it,” she chuckles. “And Terrin’s birthday isn’t for another three months, no?”
Vihaan shrugs.
“You tell me,” he sighs. “I think this proves my point.”
She sits down on the adjacent couch.
“I just need some advice,” she says. “I’m not certain you actually will be able to answer, but I suppose it’s worth the try.”
Vihaan crosses his arms.
“I’m listening.”
Adette looks aimlessly at the wall as she thinks.
“I’d say things are going well with me and Terrin,” she begins. “We haven’t been in a proper relationship for that long, but I’ve really enjoyed our time together so far. But I’m… I’m uncertain if Terrin actually feels the same.”
Vihaan was planning to listen patiently, but he scoffs in surprise.
“What? He’s obsessed with you, my lady. Not a day goes by without him swooning over you at least twice.”
She looks at him for a moment, before she chuckles.
“I suppose I’m aware of that,” she says. “He isn’t really great at keeping his feelings hidden. But, sometimes it just…”
She sighs.
“Sometimes I find it hard to know if his words and body language actually correlate. He seems.. uncomfortable, I suppose.”
“In what way?” Vihaan asks.
“Like… I, uh, I like to show some… physical affection, every once in a while. A kiss, or some cuddles. And he always stiffens a lot whenever I do. He averts his gaze and starts to stutter, and I just get uncertain if the gestures embarrass him so much it makes him uncomfortable.”
“Have you asked him?”
“I have,” Adette answers. “And he always says it’s alright.”
“That’s the word he uses?” Vihaan asks further, and Adette hums as she thinks.
“Sometimes,” she hums. “Other times he’s more direct with his answer, he’s told me that he likes it, that he’s just nervous, but I’m still not certain…”
Vihaan snickers quietly.
“He’s so hopeless,” he sighs. “Terrin might not have the biggest courage of us all, but he is an honest man. If he says he’s alright, that’s the truth. He wouldn’t lie about something like that.”
Adette purses her lips, her expression still unsure.
“Are you certain?”
“Pretty much,” Vihaan shrugs. “Especially if he’s directly told you that he likes it. We both know how he is. He’s such a wimp when it comes to you specifically, it’ll be a while until he’s able to ask for that affection himself. Just how long did it take until he finally confessed to you?”
“Way too long, probably,” Adette chuckles.
“If I know him correctly, I’d say he secretly goes crazy for it all. That might be the reason he’s not able to ask for it, too. His feelings overwhelm him, but if he says he enjoys it, then he does.”
Adette takes a moment to let the words sink in.
“So, I’ll just continue with the affection and gestures?”
“Or increase them,” Vihaan grins. “If I have to guess, I’d say that’s what he wants. Just make sure to give him the space to tell if it isn’t the case.”
“Of course,” Adette nods, deep in thought.
“Thank you, Vihaan,” she says after a moment. “Your intel has been very helpful. I knew I could count on you.”
Vihaan waves his hand.
“Oh please, you flatter me, my lady,” he snickers, and she smiles at him.
“You are dismissed,” she says. “Thank you, once again.”
“Anytime,” Vihaan nods as he stands up, before he walks to the door. “Try not to fluster him completely. We need him on post tomorrow.”
Adette chuckles.
“We’ll see.”
------
Vihaan climbs into bed. It’s late once again, his efforts to go to bed early a failure once more. Although, Terrin hasn’t been pestering him at all this evening. He’s been nowhere to be found, actually.
Vihaan is about to blow out the candle on his bedside table, when the door opens.
“Ah, there you are,” Vihaan snickers as Terrin walks in. “Where’ve you been?”
Terrin shuffles past him, not meeting his eyes.
“I was just, uh, visiting Lady Adette,” he answers, almost mumbling. There’s a fluster on his face.
Vihaan’s grin grows.
“Did you have fun?” he asks, and Terrin shoulders tense, his face flustering even more.
“U-uhm,” he stutters. “Yes, it was- it was, uh, nice.”
“Nice, huh?” Vihaan continues to tease. “Anything specific that was ‘ nice ’?”
He gets no more response. Vihaan can practically see the memories of whatever just happened run through Terrin’s mind, and the burning fluster as a result of it.
Seems like it was a success, then.